Air conditioning apparatus



June 14, 1960 J. P. GUERRA ETAL 2,940,282

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1957 5 uJ m $5M w M J Mm NM .ollllrllfiillla IIIIIIIII In! FIG. 2

June 14, 1960 J, P. GU

ERRA ETAL AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I mm"... lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllIlllllllllllllllmlllI|llllflllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllbi 4 INVENTOR5 P Q BY ziy gsas #437226 WpfTZZZ/am My,

June 14, 1960 Filed Aug. 16, 1957 FIG. 3

J. P. GUERRA ET] AL AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORj \j/m PGuerra June 14, 1960 J. P. GUERRA EIAL 2,940,282

' AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1957 V 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1NVENTOR5 J5/7/7 P Guerra James Jflabon y BY James F. FF-ed/cmi June 14, 1960 J. P GUERRA EIAL 2,940,282

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1957 5 Sheets Sheet 5 cf) INVENTORfi A 7? 6 g fiezmzizz Am CONDITIONING APPARATUs John P. Guerra, Buifalo, James J. Mahoney, Kenmore, and James F. Frediani, Buffalo, N.Y., assignors to Fedders Corporation, Maspeth, N.Y.

filed Aug. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 678,736

3 Claims. ((21. 62-429) This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus of a type and size suitable for supplying cooled air to a numoer or rooms.

The invention is directed to an encased unit wherein the major refrigeration system elements such as the electric motor, blowers, evaporator, condenser and compressor are disposed in a novel arrangement resulting in the functioning of each element under optimum efficiency.

Units of this type, particularly when used in domestic dwellings, are located where necessity demands, which may be anywhere from cellar to attic, and often in cramped and dificult quarters. In recognizing this condition, the present invention provides an extremely compact unit which may be mounted in a variety of manners, and which additionally may be connected to an air duct system with a selective choice of directional location of the ducts, thus permitting field installations not heretofore possible with a single unit. For example, the present unit may be selectively installed flush to a wall, through a wall, or in a corner with equal availability for connection to an air duct system.

Another feature of the invention resides in the ability to separate the unit into two sub-units, one carrying the blower and motor, and the other containing the condenser, compressor, and evaporator. This provides not only easy handling, but permits, under unusual conditions, remote installation of such sub-units.

Other features of the invention, including novel cabinet and mounting structures, will be more apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the sub-units in disassembled relation. Certain sections of panelling have been removed to show the disposal of the elements Within the sub-units;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the unit with the sub-units shown in assembled relation and with their cover portions removed;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the unit with the panel structure removed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 44 of Fig. 3, showing details of the motor and compressor mounts;

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged fragmentary sections on the lines 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, and 8--8, respectively, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section thru the unit showing primarily the panel structure and omitting the major elements;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional detail of the corner indicated by A in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross sectional detail of the area indicated by B in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross sectional detail of the area indicated by C in Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the corner pieces of the panel structure;

Fig. 14 is a section similar to Fig. 9, of another emnited States Patent 0 bodiment of the invention showing the panel structure and related refrigerator elements.

Referring to the drawings, the invention includes a refri eration system having conventional major elements whose organization and functions are so well known in the art that only a brief description is necessary. The system includes a compressor 20 (Fig. 2) of the hermetic type having its pressure side leading to a condenser 21 through a pipe 22. The outlet pipe 23 of the condenser communicates with an evaporator 24 through interposed capillary feeds 25. The evaporator is supplied with an outlet header 26 which is connected with the suction side of the compressor 20 through a tube 28 to complete the circuit.

The air side of the system incorporates spaced coaxial blowers 29 and 31 driven by a double end motor 32, the former blower 29 supplying air to the condenser 21, and the blower 31 directing air to the evaporator 24 through suitable passages in the structure of the assembled unit 30, which will now be described.

The unit 3:": consists of two related rectilinear casings, a refrigeration sub-unit 30a for housing the described elements of the refrigeration system, and an air side subunit 30b containing the blowers 2!? and 31 and the motor 32. As Will be observed in Figs. 1 and 2, the sub-units are of a size convenient to be-carried individually to a desired point of assembly where they may be joined by bolting.

The structure of the sub-unit 3% includes a mounting base 33 in the form or" a relatively heavy pan, additionally reinforced on its bottom by Welded transverse channel members 34 and 35 which project beyond the ends of the pan. w where they are supplied with holes 36 and 37 respectively (Hg. 1). The channel member 34'is formed with a' horizontal flange portion 33 which projects beyond the longitudinal edge of the base 33 to serve as a supporting ledge for the sub-unit 3512. A drain pan 3% (Figs. 3 and 5) is disposed above and at one end of the base 33, and it carries depending flanges 40 which are spaced from the walls of the base 33 by members 41. Bolts 42 extending through such members secure the pan 39 rigidly to the base 33. A drain fitting 43 is mounted in one end of the pan 39 for connection to a suitable drain pipe, while a. similar fitting 43a is disposed in the base 33 (Figs. 3 and 6). The pan 3% is notched as indicated by the numeral 44 (Fig. 7) to provide an overflow weir for accumulated water into the pan 33, which might occur in the case of a blocked drain pipe. v

The base 33 supports enclosing vertical panelling including a back wall 45, side walls 46 and 47 respectively, and a front Wall 48. This structure, which will later be described in detail, is capped by a flanged cover 49 to provide an enclosure which is divided into an evaporator chamber 50 and a condenser chamber 60 by an insulating vertical wall 51. Referring to Figs. 2 and 9, it will be seen that the wall 51 extends angularly from juxtaposition of the pan 39 and front wall 43 into sealing contact with the back wall 45 at a spaced distance from the pan 39. As shown in Fig. 7, the base of the wall 51 contains a small opening 52 which permits condensate to escape from the chamber 5% to the chamber 69.

The evaporator 24 is secured in the pan 39 and it extends upward to the cover 49. The portion of the back wall 45 adjacent the evaporator 24 contains a large inlet opening 54 (Fig. 1) which leads into the chamber 50. A deflector 55 (Fig. 2) is carried by the wall 51 in the path of the air stream entering the chamber 5i)" through the opening 54, and such deflector is proportioned to direct the air in the most favorable manner to the evaporator 24. i

The condenser 21 is mounted diagonally across the lower right hand corner of the structure (as viewed in Figs. 2 and 9), thus dividing the chamber 60 into a condenser air inlet chamber 60a and a condenser air outlet chamber 600. Studs 61 are welded tov the base 33 in the inlet chamber 60a, and they receive the legs 62 of the compressor for securement by nuts 63. 'A reinforcing bracket 64 of relatively heavy metal is provided with a base flange 65 which is interposed between the base 33 and two of the legs 62 of the compressor 20 (Figs. 2 and 4). The flange 65 is pierced to receive two of the mounting studs 61 -for securement to the base 33. The bracket 64 is formed with a flanged vertical portion 67 which carries horizontally extending Welded studs 68. The studs 68 extend through the back wall. 45 (Figs. 2 and 4) and as connecting means for the sub-units a and '30b.- As shown in Fig. 8, a connection box 66 is secured to the back wall 45 and it carries plugged in electric leads 69 and 70, the former entering thechamber l 60 thru the wall 45 for suitable connection to the compressor 20, and the latter beingconnectible to the blower motor 32 when the sub-units 30a and 30b are'united.

. extra parts. Referring to Figs. land 9, it will be seen that the back wall 45 isfixed and consists of a flat panel 71 Whose lower extremity is secured to the base 33 and whose sides terminate in flanges 73.; The wall45 is oflset at its top edge, as indicated by the numeral 74, to permit the enclosing flanged portion of the cover 49 to present a coplanar surface with the panel section 71. Aside from the described evaporator air inlet opening '54 in the panel 71,, a second large "opening 76 is supplied therein, which provides an chamber 60.

The side or'evaporator wall 46 and an adjacent portion of the front wall 48 are formed of a single bent corner piece or panel 78, which is fastened at one end to a flange 73 of the back panel 71 and to the base 33 by suitable screws. The panel 78 is also formed with a large flanged opening 79 which provides. a discharge opening for cooled air which passes through the adjacent evaporator 24. On the front wall 48 the panel 78 terminates in a reentrant flange 80, providing a mounting groove, which is a typical structure of the panelling of the invention (Figs. 10, 11, 12). Another terminal structure of this type consists of a welded two-piece structure 81, 82 (Fig. 11) having spacedterminal portions 83, 84 providing a mounting groove 80a. The piece 82 is formed with a flange which is fastened to the condenser by screws 85.

'A' remoyable'panel 87forms part of the front wall 48 and it is formed with'terminal flanges 88 (Figs. '9-and 11') wh ch are positioned in the grooves 80 and 80a in the air inlet opening into the condenser 97 (Fig. 1), and a central channel shaped member 98 (Fig. 4), all on a common wall 100 of the sub-unit. The motor 32 is secured to the niember 98, while the blowers 29 and 31 are mounted in coaxial driven relationship to the motor, and are secured to the base 95. The blowers 29 and 31 include in their casing structure the customary flanged outlets 29a and 31a respectively, which are disposed in the plane of the front wall 100 (Figs. 1 and 2). The described openings 54 and 76 in the back panel 71 of the sub-unit 3011 are located to register with the blower outlets 31a and'29a respectively, when the subunits are secured together. Gaskets 102 and 103 (Fig. 1) are disposed about the openings to provide an air-tight seal upon such connection.

Removable and fixed panelling constitute the back wall 106 and side walls 107 and 108 of the sub-unit 30b, as will be presently described, and the enclosure is divided by an insulating transverse wall 109 into an evaporator blower chamber b and a condenser blower chamber 60b. The margin of the wall 109 (Fig. 12) adjacent the back wall 106 is supplied with a U-shaped flange which provides a mounting groove 110, which is similar in function to the described mounting grooves 80, 80a, and 80b. The closure of the chamber 50b is completed by a single bent corner panel 114 (Figs. 2 and 9) having terminal flanges 115, one of, which is entered in the groove 110,'while the remaining flange is fastened to the adjacent corner angle 97. As in the case of the described corner panel 90 (Fig. 13), the panel 114 is a symmetrical structure having a large flanged opening 116 in one of its sides, whereby it may be selectively inverted and fastened to the corner of the structure with the opening either in the back wall 106 or in the end Wall 107;

V A fixed panel 117 forms the right hand end of the back wall 106, and the adjacent corner merges with the side wall 108 (Figs. 2, 9 and 10). This is a bent one-piece structure having flanged terminal portions providing mounting grooves 110a and 11017. The remaining areas of the back and side walls 106, 108 are'covered by removable panels 118 and 120 which are interchangeable members having terminal flanges 118a and 1200, respectively. As shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 12, theflanges 118a of panel 118are carried in the mounting grooves 110 and 110a to complete the closure of the back wall 106. One of the flanges 12011 of panel 120 is received in mounting groove 110b, while the remaining flange is fastened to described structures and which is'secured by suitable 7 screws to the base 33' and cover 49.

Fhe. remaining side wall 47 includes a fixed panel 89 which is relatively narrow and which has one edge secured to a flange 73 of'the backpanel 71. The opposite V edge'is formed to provide a groove 80b. The remaining panel structure, which covers'the open corner of the casing encloses the chamber 600 and consists of a corner panel 90 having terminal flanges 88a which are entered in the groove 80b and in the groove 80a of the structure s1,=s2 (Fig. 11).. r

- In the perspective'view (Fig.;13)'-it will-beseen that V the corner piece 98 is provided with a large flanged opena ing 93 in one side. This membenaside from the opening 93, is'symmetrical about thercorn'er thereof, and thus it may be mounted either with the opening 93 1ocated in the side wall 47 or in thefront wall 48 for access to the the adjacent corner angle 97; V

The panels .118 and 121 are identical structures with the exception that only the former panel contains a flanged opening 122. Thus the panels are interchangeable, so that the duct opening 122 may be located either in the side wall 108 (Fig. 2) or the back wall 106 (Fig.9). a When the sub-units are moved from their disassembled relation (Fig. 1) into juxtaposition (Fig. 2), the lower edge of the base of the sub-unit 30b .restsflon the projecting flange 38 of the sub-unit 30a, while the studs 68 of the latter unit project through registering'openings 68 a, which are provided in the channel member 98 of the sub-unit 3%. Nuts 124 applied to the studs (Fig. 4) rigidly connect the sub-units, and additionalsecurement is provided by bolts 125 which extend through the corner angles 97 and adjoining back'wall panel 71. The unit 30 thus completed may be fastened to a suitable base or floor, or it may be suspended from a ceiling or roofsupport (not shown) by suitable hanger bolts which engage through the holes 36 and 37 in the reinforcing channel members 34 and 35 of the base 33. With theunit 30 thus assembled and mounted, it will be seen that due to the optional 'positionings of the openings 116, '122 and 93, ducts D (Fig; 2) may lead directly to the unit from several directions without the necessity of resorting to complex and undesirable duct work. a a f In the embodiment of the inventionshown in Fig. 14, the unit 30' is identicalto that of -Fig. 2 with'a few salient exceptions, and primed numbers are used to identify the correspondingly similar components. In this embodiment the evaporator 24' is disposed diagonally across its adjacent housing corner in the manner of the disposal of the condenser 21. The four corners of this structure consist of removable corner pieces 78', 90, 114 and 118', which may each be identical to the corner piece 90 (Fig. 13) and they are entered in mounting grooves 80' provided in the panelling structure. Thus the duct openings 79, 93, 116, 122' respectively, of such corner pieces may each be positioned selectively in either of two walls of the unit 30 for connection with ducts D.

While we have shown and described certain embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that it is capable of many modifications in construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An air conditioning unit comprising a rectilinear casing having an open vertical corner, an air conditioning system disposed within said casing, and including a condenser, means securing said condenser Within said casing diagonally across the open corner thereof, a closure for the open corner of said casing having two sides of identical proportions and having a duct opening in one of its sides, and means removably securing said closure to the casing including interengaging means on the terminal portions of said sides and the adjoining portions of the said open corner of the casing.

2. An air conditioning unit comprising a rectilinear casing having open vertical corners, a wall structure within said casing dividing the space therein into a condenser air compartment and a refrigerated air compartment, an

air conditioning system including a condenser air blower and a condenser disposed within said condenser air compartrnent, and an evaporator air blower and an evaporator disposed inthe refrigerated air compartment, said condenser and said evaporator being mounted diagonally across adjacent corners of said casing, and a removable closure for the open corners of said casing, each closure having two sides of identical proportions and having a ductopening in one of its sides.

3. An air conditioning unit comprising a rectilinear casing having open corners, a wall structure within said casing dividing the space therein into a condenser air compartment and a refrigerated air compartment, an air conditioning system including a condenser air blower and a condenser disposed within said condenser air compartment, and an evaporator air blower and an evaporator disposed in the refrigerated air compartment, said condenser and said evaporator being mounted diagonally across adjacent corners of said casing, said blowers being mounted in spaced relation to each of the remaining corners of said casing, and a removable closure for the open corners of said casing, each closure having two sides of identical proportions and having a duct opening in one of its sides.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,386,303 Eberhart Oct. 9, 1945 2,495,002 Hart Jan. 17, 1950 2,600,316 Moore June 10, 1952 2,710,573 Marker June 14, 1955 2,759,708 Burgess Aug. 21, 1956 

